title: Rupatadine for the treatment of urticaria.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Rupatadine fumarate is a second-generation antihistamine provided with a potent, long-lasting and balanced in vivo dual platelet-activating factor (PAF) and histamine antagonist activity and it uniquely combines both activities at a high level of potency. Rupatadine has a rapid onset of action and a long-lasting effect, so a once-daily dosing is permitted, moreover is well tolerated by young adults and the elders. Rupatadine does not present the side effects of first-generation H1-antihistamines, such as somnolence, fatigue, headache, impaired memory and learning, sedation, increased appetite, dry mouth, dry eyes, visual disturbances, constipation, urinary retention and erectile dysfunction.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study evaluates the effectiveness and safety of rupatadine in chronic urticaria (CU) and acquired cold urticaria (ACU), through a systematic review of the literature.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients affected by urticaria are often discouraged because frequently their disease does not recognize a cause and it is unresponsive to treatments. Patients can control their symptoms assuming second-generation H1-antihistamines, such as rupatadine. Several randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials testify effectiveness and safety of rupatadine in CU and ACU. However, further clinical trials to evaluate the efficacy of rupatadine in different urticaria subtypes and to test the safety of doses higher than 20 mg are encouraged.
authors.affiliation: University of Bari Medical School, Section of Allergology and Clinical Immunology, Department of Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Bari, Italy. elisabettadl@alice.it
authors.forename: Eustachio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nettis
authors.forename: Pantalea
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Delle Donne
authors.forename: Elisabetta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Di Leo
authors.forename: Gian Franco
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Calogiuri
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ferrannini
authors.forename: Angelo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vacca
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003533:Cyproheptadine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006633:Histamine Antagonists / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D010972:Platelet Activating Factor / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D014581:Urticaria / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D006633:Histamine Antagonists; D010972:Platelet Activating Factor; C103639:rupatadine; D003533:Cyproheptadine